The Battleball tournament
by starshock1995
Summary: After a new invention goes global, Battleball, once a localized sport, becomes global. But there is more to this game than a fun time...


_Hey folks, sorry I haven't finished my other work yet, I'm in a creative slump right now, but I hope this can tide you over. I got the idea when I was remembering a daily cooking quest in WotLK, and decided to expand on the "Battleball" idea._

* * *

Deep within a hectic laboratory, damaged parts scattered across the floor, a gnomish worker was tinkering intently on a strange looking device. Its appearance was that of a disk, but on top of it was a glass lens, and the intent of such a bizarre looking machine eluded all who saw it. But the tinkerer kept at his work, connecting wires and tightening bolts, and in moments, he stopped his fiddling and flipped a switch on the side of the device, and the lens became aglow with light, and above the disk, an image of the City of Miracles' technical overseer, the draenei Cyonnei, materialized above the disk. And stranger yet, it began to speak

"Skilled tinkerer, if you are recieving this message, then you have accomplished a great task. You have created the first home holo-projector, and with it, you may bring a new age of culture to the common people."

The gnome, his expression masked by his protective gear, was in amazement at the possibilities he saw with this device, and immediately turned it off, rushing to the central building of the tech district.

"Get me a patent for this!" he yelled, "This is going to revolutionize Azeroth, so get this into public stores!"

Despite the initial uncertainty of this gnome, the device, dubbed the "holo-vision set", was sent into cities all across Azeroth, and following the years of war, it became a household necesity, and following the rise of holo-vision, the battleball games that used to be local sports became a global passtime, with teams forming from all the major cities.

And merely ten years after this new revolution, Archmage Pentarus is already eager for the first annual Battleball Tournament to begin.

"I don't believe it. Such a short time ago, Battleball was a mystery to so many, but now, one of my favorite passtimes is being broadcast worldwide!"

* * *

And across the seas, Sylvanas Windrunner stood in her chamber, listening to some discouraging news.

"What do you mean the apothecaries aren't working? Make them!"

"But, milady," an incompetent looking leper gnome squirmed, "Today is the Battleball World Championship. They won't let anything interrupt it."

"What! No one said the tournament was today!"

She scrambled for the holo-vision she kept near her throne, and switched it on, only to find that the game had already begone.

"Curses! The first round is already halfway over, and the score is 1-1. How could you forget to tellme about this?"

"Oh god," someone said when they walked in, "She's going on to one of her speeches again, just ignore her and watch the game."

Several minutes passed, and as Sylvanas recounted the history of how they took Lordaeron form the scourge, and the progress the forsaken have made since they were formed, the matched was at a stalemate, until the Undercity team managed to score a goal against their opposing team, and immediately ended her angry rant.

"Yes, we're winning!" she squealed, "I can't wait for our team to make it to the final round!"

A few minuted more passed, and the other team could not score any points, but as Sylvanas was sure they would win, one of the enemyplayers scored a goal, taking a hit to the head in the process.

"That's impossible! We were so close, but at least that blue clothed elf took it hard to his head! We will destroy any who stand in our way!"

Despite the elf's head wound, he vowed to continue playing.

"But an injury like that will practically disable him. He may die out there...

Good riddance, you senseless fool!"

But sure enough, as the match was drawing to a close, the elf managed to score one last goal against them, winning them the game at the last minute.

Sylvanas stood in shock and awe, and turned off the holo-set. Struggling to compose herself, she fell into a tirade.

"HE HAD A MONSTROUS HEAD INJURY, BUT HE STILL TOOK OUR VICTORY AWAY! IF OUR MILITARY DEFENSES WERE THAT LOUSY, WE'D ALL BE EXTINCT BY NOW. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? I'M GOING TO EXECUTE YOU TWO FOR MAKING ME WATCH THAT. AND I'LL BE SURE TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WILL MAKE YOU WISH YOU HAD STAYED DEAD!"

"Sylvanas, we were playing against the City of Miracles! We shouldn't have even had a chance!"

"That, was the city of miracles' team?" she sighed, and she recomposed herself like her tirade hadn't happened.

"I thought the blue uniforms would be of the Dalaran team, but the City of Miracles, has a Battleball team? Well then, I suppose we will win a Battleball Tournament someday, but with that unlocated city in the game, I don't know if we can. Regardless, I'velost interest in the rest of the matches, now bring me my music box."

* * *

As the matches progressed, the Dalaran team came to facing the City of Miracles, but the City of miracles had one a decisive victory by scoring three points without the Dalaran team scoring any.

"What!" Pentarus yelled.

"We lost to that City of Cowards? They won't reveal themselves to the rest of Azeroth, and they can win at sports too? Why it's more than I can bear!"

His unchecked anger caused a fireball to be launched from his hand, igniting a random squirrel, though he was far to upset to notice, or care.

He shut off his holo-vision, and walked away fitfully.

"What's his problem?"a visiting night elf asked.

"Oh, Pentarus?" a mage responded, "He's just upset that Dalaran lost the Battleball Tournament."

"Battleball? Is that supposed to be a national passtime now?"

"More like a global one. Since the holo-vision hit the market, these matches are watchable across all of Azeroth."

And sure enough, even the City of Silvermoon was abuzz with bets on matches and rumors on fixed fights. And Rafie, who has been on the run since she escaped the "institution", was taking a very strong interest in the semi-final match, the silvermoon team versus the City of Miracles. The match was being broadcast to Silvermoon's new jumbo holo-screen, and the whole city was watching. The City of Miracles landed a decicive goal in the 2nd half, and the Silvermoon team could not keep up. Rafie, still driven by her elven pride, feeling the match was lost, went berserk in her house and threw her magic scrying orb out the window in frustration.

* * *

As the world watched, the players themselves were ready for the final round of a tiring tourney. The City of Miracles came against Stormwind's prized team. But to them, this was more than a game.

"Ok guys," their stern half-elf coach said, "If this team wins the match, they will gain a false belief that they are inherantly superior to all other races, and with a King like Varian on the throne, we can't let them have it. When we win, we can prove what inter-racial cooperation can accomplish. Now go out there and win!"

The team yelled out in high spirits, and they rushed on to the field. Once they heard the whistle, they began to rush towards the enemy goal. The group's head kicker, a brown and white furred tauren, kicked the ball towards the goal, and successfully scored a point. The rest of the match went just as well for them, their elven passers not once losing the ball, the troll goalkeeper keeping the ball away when the enemy had it, and the others going their work just as well.

Ultimately, the City of Miracles had won 3 to nothing, and they celebrated their success at the entertainment district, content knowing that the combined might of the world's races could accomplish more than they ever did alone...


End file.
